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Land continues office modernization drive

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land is continuing her
successful Branch Office Modernization Program to deliver quality service that
recognizes changing customer trends and Michigan's fiscal realities.

Land is creating additional PLUS offices and another SUPER!Center so more
customers have access to enhanced services such as expanded Wednesday hours,
payment with Discover and MasterCard at the counter, instant vehicle titles and
Self-Service Stations for immediate license plate tab renewals. SUPER!Centers
offer the extremely popular Saturday hours as well.

"We always have our eye toward the future," Land said. "Customer trends
continue to evolve and we're keeping pace. We are proactively managing our
limited resources so we can provide quality services while operating in
Michigan's current budget climate. Fortunately, our modernization program
provides us with a proven blueprint for success."

Factors such as statewide population shifts and surging customer enthusiasm
for doing business online compel the department to adjust its branch office
system for optimal results. For example, there were 2 million fewer branch
office transactions in fiscal year 2009 than in fiscal year 2007.

Land aggressively manages her agency's resources to ensure maximum focus on
customer service and program efficiency. In addition to taking steps such as
consolidating office space and investing in cost-saving technology, she has
reduced staffing levels by 20 percent through attrition.

"Our long-range planning and tough decisions are paying off," Land said. "The
department is positioned to balance the needs of customers with our state's
fiscal realities. Optimizing our use of people, dollars and technology reduces
our investments in 'bricks and mortar' facilities while ensuring consistent
levels of service. This prudent redirection of resources keeps us at the
forefront of innovative service and fiscal responsibility."

Land introduced the modernization program in 2004. It allows the department
to offer enhanced services by more effectively targeting its limited resources.

Twenty-two PLUS offices and five SUPER!Centers were created in the initial
phase. Additional rollouts have added 16 PLUS offices and another SUPER!Center
for a current total of 38 PLUS offices and six SUPER!Centers.

The next round features 10 new PLUS offices and an additional SUPER!Center as
well as expansions of certain existing PLUS offices. A list is below:

Genesee County: The Central Genesee County PLUS Office will be created by
consolidating the Flint West and Flint Downtown offices. A new Flint location
for the PLUS office will be determined.

Ingham County: The Capital Area SUPER!Center will be formed by
consolidating the East Lansing and Lansing Downtown offices. A location for
the SUPER!Center will be determined.

Jackson County: The Jackson County PLUS Office will relocate to a larger
facility once it consolidates with the current Jackson Downtown office. The
new location will be determined.

Livingston County: The Livingston County PLUS Office will be created
through consolidations of the Brighton and Howell offices. The new location
will be determined.

Macomb County: The Mount Clemens Downtown office will consolidate into the
Shelby Township office, resulting in the Central Macomb County PLUS Office. In
addition, the current Southwest Macomb County PLUS Office will expand into a
larger location after it consolidates with the current Warren 12 Mile office.
The new location will be determined.

Monroe County: The Monroe County PLUS Office will be created by
consolidating the Temperance office into the Monroe office.

Muskegon County: The Muskegon County PLUS Office will be formed by
consolidating the Whitehall and Muskegon offices into a new Muskegon location.

Oakland County: The South Oakland County PLUS Office will be created by
consolidating the Farmington Hills office into the Southfield office.

Saginaw County: The Saginaw County PLUS Office will be formed by
consolidating the Frankenmuth office into the Saginaw Northwest office.

St. Clair County: The current St. Clair County PLUS Office will expand
into a larger location when it consolidates with the Marine City office. The
new Port Huron location for the PLUS office will be determined.

Wayne County: Three PLUS offices will be created. The Detroit Downtown
office will consolidate into the Detroit Vernor office to form the Southwest
Detroit PLUS Office. The Wyandotte office will consolidate into the Trenton
office to form the Downriver Area PLUS Office. In addition, the Highland Park
office will consolidate into the Hamtramck office to form the
Hamtramck/Highland Park Area PLUS Office.

Some of the projects could begin before year's end though specific time
frames have not been established.